Many internal combustion engines require lubrication systems that pump and distribute a durable lubricant throughout the engine to prevent wear and permanent damage to interfacing components. In a typical engine, the lubricant is pumped from a sump or reservoir and throughout the distribution network in the engine. Due to temperature related viscosity considerations for typical engine lubricants, such as oil, the reservoir or sump commonly is located lower on the engine or even underneath the engine so that the temperature of the lubricant can be lowered before being pumped back through the engine. The lubricant generally returns to the sump under gravity.
The automobile is one of the most common applications of the internal combustion engine. A typical automobile engine requires a lubrication system of the type generally described above. It is well understood that the failure to change the engine oil on a regular basis tends to result in foreign material or contaminant build-up that adversely affects engine performance and efficiency and, ultimately, causes wear and other permanent damage to engine components. To lessen this effect, most automobile manufacturers recommend changing the engine oil every 3,000 to 3,500 miles, which results in at least four oil changes annually per automobile based on an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 miles per year. Thus, a significant number of oil changes occur each year resulting in significant revenue to suppliers in the oil replacement market.
Consumers of the automobile engine oil replacement market include a significant segment of automobile owners that undertake changing their own oil, which is commonly referred to as the "do-it-yourselfers" segment. Overall, these do-it-yourselfers perform approximately 60 percent of the total number of domestic oil changes and constitute about 50 percent of the revenues. Studies, however, reveal that this particular segment would undergo meaningful growth if engine oil replacement could be made easier, less time consuming and safer. Moreover, achieving these goals also would encourage and enable automobile owners to more easily maintain proper maintenance schedules, which in turn would reduce overall repair expenses and improve the quality of older engines.
For most automobiles, changing the oil is not always an easy, safe and expeditious task, especially for the do-it-yourselfers. At the outset, this task requires sufficient and safe access to the oil pan typically located at the bottom of the engine underneath the automobile. The first step, thus, is to either raise the automobile with a portable hydraulic jack or drive the automobile up a ramp, over a sufficiently deep trench or onto a hydraulic lift platform. In many instances, do-it-yourselfers do not have access to such equipment or facilities to properly elevate the automobile and, as a result, resort to using other less desirable equipment or simply climbing under the automobile on the ground.
The next step is to remove the drain plug from the oil pan drain hole commonly located near the bottom of the oil pan. Plug removal causes the oil to drain from the oil pan in a substantially uncontrolled manner generally under pressure resulting from only gravity. Since the drain hole and plug do not adequately facilitate fluid flow control upon plug removal, a containment method must be employed that is capable of collecting and capturing the oil as it drains and splashes through the drain hole.
After the used engine oil has drained from the pan, the drain plug must be properly reinstalled to seal against leakage. Experience has revealed that reinstallation of the drain plug raises potential for numerous problems. The most noteworthy problems are associated with the failure to properly reinstall the drain plug, resulting in leakage and, ultimately, permanent engine damage. These results stem from stripped threads in the drain hole and on the plug due to misalignment of the drain plug and stripped faces on the hex nut portion of the drain plug resulting from the use of an incorrectly sized tool. Other problems include introduction of contaminants into the engine from a dirty drain plug and environmental contamination from a leaky plug reinstallation or complete failure to reinstall the drain plug.
To address problems associated with drain plugs, numerous valved plugs have been designed to replace the drain plug. A conventional valved plug typically includes a socket in which operates a spring biased socket valve for opening and closing the valve. The spring biases the socket valve to a closed position, and a probe is used to actuate the socket valve against the spring to an opened position. Examples of valved plugs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,659,047; 1,818,122; 1,846,877; 3,387,621; 3,806,085; 4,269,237; 4,745,894 and 4,951,723.
Shortcomings with valved plugs include their inconveniently located disconnect location. Commonly, the valved plug simply replaces the conventional plug at the drain hole and, thus, does not address the problems with access to the oil pan underneath the automobile. Moreover, because the valved plug is commonly located at the bottom of the sump or oil pan, there is no protection against possible leakage AT the valved plug.
Although some of these devices pertain solely to drain plug valves and their operations, others also disclose entire systems for recovering the oil from the automobile sump, including devices for connecting to and operating the valved plug. These recovery systems also have obvious disadvantages, which stem from their relatively large scale, elaborate pumping and storage equipment. These systems are permanent type systems that would be found typically in car service centers or quick-change oil facilities. It is readily apparent that they do not address portability and economic concerns of the do-it-yourselfers.
One known device that addresses portability is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,237 listed above. This device is a portable device for collecting oil from an automobile engine and includes a shallow vessel that interconnects to the valved drain plug via a hose. The hose has a drain spigot that operates the valved drain plug upon insertion to allow oil flow to the shallow vessel.
A known shortcoming with this design is the sole reliance on gravity to drain the oil from the oil pan. In this design, gravity is the sole force responsible for causing the oil to drain through the relatively small diametered drain hole and hose and into the vessel located only a number of inches below the oil pan. For example, a common drain hole is approximately 0.25 inches in diameter, and the vertical distance between the oil pan and the ground is typically in the range of 6 to 12 inches below. Experience has revealed that draining a typical oil pan solely under gravity can easily exceed five minutes or more, especially under relatively cold conditions where oil flow may occur only at an extreme minimum or not even at all. These relatively slow flow conditions are ineffective for the most part because one is forced to wait idle until the oil pan is drained.
In an attempt to address this shortcoming, collection vessels have been designed to have a low profile to increase the vertical drop. For example, one known collection vessel has a low profile and pyramid shape. Although this design is an attempt to increase flow, it still relies solely on gravity and renders the vessel awkward to handle and transport. Thus, a desire exists for a portable device that significantly enhances the rate of fluid flow to reduce drainage time and that employs a more transportable collection receptacle.
Overall, the customary oil change process is relatively time consuming and impractical for individuals not possessing or having access to specialized facilities, equipment and tools. Moreover, the equipment used to raise automobiles can tend to increase hazardous risk to the do-it-yourselfer that must crawl underneath the automobile. Thus, there is also a desire to eliminate having to operate underneath the automobile during the oil change process.
Other concerns for do-it-yourselfers include health risks associated with exposure to used engine oil which is considered carcinogenic. It is well understood that one should avoid contact with such oils by wearing protective clothing, eyewear and gloves during oil change procedures, especially those requiring removal of a drain plug followed by uncontrolled discharge of oil from the oil pan. On the other hand, it is also well known that using car service centers and quick change oil facilities is relatively expensive and time consuming and does not entirely eliminate the risks described above associated with reinstallation of the oil drain plug.
Thus, the present invention is directed to a drainage method and portable device that provides controlled and enhanced recovery of lubricants from engines. More specifically, the present invention provides a drainage method using a highly portable device that transfers the engine lubricant to a more accessible drain location and enables selective, controlled and enhanced flow of such liquid from such location to a readily transportable collection receptacle in a manner that reduces harmful exposure.